Consequences  Version Two
by BluePhoenix21
Summary: Drizzt's daughter decides to assert her independence with some unexpected consequences. Will she drive Drizzt insane first? One author's thought becomes a scene w/2 sep. endings when a fellow author borrows the story. Co-authored with Penny4him. Complete!


Author's Note: This story began as a simple email from my friend, Penny4him, sending me a passing thought on how she sees Drizzt interacting with her original character, Violet, Drizzt's 12-yr-old daughter. I liked it so much, I asked permission to write my own ending to the scene; so we each wrote endings and then shared them with each other. They came out so well that we decided to share our two versions with you!

You **MUST** read Penny's version of _'Consequences'_ by checking my fave authors/stories list.

Thank you, Penny, for being such a great writer and such a great friend! I love our first co-authored story!

{HUGS}  
>Blue<p>

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><p>CONSEQUENCES<br>By Penny4him and BluePhoenix21

PENNY'S GREAT STARTER SCENE:

"We've been through this before," Drizzt remarked. "In fact we've been through it every night for the past four nights."

"I know...it's just that I..." her voice trailed off. She really had no answer that would be anywhere near persuasive, and she knew it.

"I grow tired of threatening and threatening...especially when my words are obviously having little effect."

"It won't happen again."

He raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Won't it? If the past is any indication of the future, it will."

"But from now on it won't..."

He regarded her coolly. "You've said that to me before."

"But...don't people deserve second chances?"

He inclined his head slightly. "Certainly. And more. But there comes a point when-"

_"Kel'nar_, please!" she interrupted. Violet had a bad feeling about where this was leading.

"Do you think I don't have good reasons for the expectations I have of you?"

"No..."

"Do you think I don't really mean to be taken seriously?"

"No!" Violet needed to think fast if she wanted to halt this train of thought.

"No? Your actions would seem to indicate that you do."

"I don't!"

Drizzt leaned back against the counter and regarded her for a moment. "I should be much less annoyed to wake up at this hour and, say, find the house surrounded by...rabid wolves," he waved a hand fancifully, "than to wake up and find that you place so little value in following my instructions."

_"Kel'nar_... I'm sorry," she ventured.

"Yes," he said quietly. "Sorry that you were caught."

"No! I mean, I'm sorry I disobeyed you-"

Drizzt sighed resignedly at the prevarication. "Not yet you aren't..." his voice was quiet, but by no means lacking in intensity. "...but I'm afraid to say that you will be."

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><p>BLUE'S CONTINUATION:<p>

She couldn't help it. She didn't intend it to happen, she wanted to seem cool and collected, an adult to be considered, exercising her own choices in life, not a child to be lectured and punished. But thirteen-year-old Violet couldn't pull it off.

She shivered, the hair actually standing up at the back of her neck.

Drizzt worked hard to suppress a smile_. 'Good,'_ he thought. _'It seems old Kel'nar is still a force to be reckoned with.' _

In her mind -her tired, overworked, underslept mind- Violet suddenly recalled images of her worst times with her parents; usually times when she had suffered painful consequences, deservedly so._ 'Perhaps staying out THIS late was a bad idea...' _She admitted to herself -barely- that she had erred in balancing the positive thrill of staying out as late as she desired with the negative thrill of being caught at it_. 'Didn't I know that sooner or later this would happen? What was I thinking?'_

Still, Father said nothing. Nothing at all. His look was intense; she felt she was as transparent as a pane of glass, as insubstantial as a ghost, as readable as a children's book, when he looked at her like that. Guilt edged its way into her consciousness and, knowing how her father's way of getting inside her and Zak was how he got through to them without having to do much at all, her mother's stubborn streak raised its head and pushed it all away. No, she wouldn't give in, even if it meant...

...well, things were about to get worse. But she wouldn't give in!

Drizzt watched his daughter, the minut changes in her face, the momentary self-doubt in her eyes, the anticipation of a punishment too huge to even consider until it was upon you... ah yes, he knew this child well, even if she remained a mystery at times. That part he was used to; he felt the same about his wife occasionally, and had usually ridden it out to a satisfactory conclusion.

Drizzt reached past the edge of the counter he was leaning on for something near the floor -Vi wondered if he had stowed a whippy branch back there, in case he planned to use it when she finally returned home; he was thoughtful that way- reached back and then handed the item to his daughter. She almost dropped it, she was so unprepared for this action from her old dad.

"A backpack? _Kel'nar_?"

Violet's poor, beleaguered mind, stressed from so little sleep over the past four days, coupled with the adrenaline rush of meeting up with her father's flashing eyes as she snuck in through the kitchen door, was suddenly too much to control. Why was Father handing her a backpack? Did he want her to leave home? Live on her own if she was going to claim adult status? Would she be turned out for being so incorrigible? Would his next words be something akin to 'since you are obviously unwilling to abide by the expectations of this house...' ?

Again, he had to stifle a grin; she WAS expecting something severe, perhaps something notably painful, and the thought of the birch tree in the backyard had crossed his mind, he had to admit. But Drizzt knew it wouldn't be long before that rather light backpack became more weight than she could carry. And yes, she would carry it a very long way today, and she would sweat and stumble and whine and complain and have a very hard time staying awake all night AND all day.

"I woke early to prepare for a little journey today. With your brother due home late this afternoon, I thought I might meet him at the berry fields in the valley." Vi looked at him strangely, not at all expecting this move from her stern and disciplined father. She had been expecting 'the speech'. In spades.

"Since you seem to need so very little sleep now that you're an adult, I'm sure that you'll be just fine walking with me. Your mother was hoping that Zak would be thoughtful enough to bring along some fresh berries when he came back from his trip. We can pick thornberries while we're waiting for him to come through the valley, to occupy our time." Drizzt hoisted a similar pack and motioned toward the door. "After you."

Unfortunately, he knew that not only would his daughter now suffer the consequences of her actions -she would be miserable- but so would he as he travelled alongside her, hearing every moaning complaint.

...Ah, the sacrifices a parent made for their child...

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><p><em>Kel'nar<em> is the drow word for "father".

NOTE: Violet and Zak, children of Drizzt and Catti-brie, are the creations of, and property of, Penny4him. Thank you for sharing them, Penny! I love them too!

Writers live for reviews! Don't forget to leave me a note! And thank you in advance… J


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